prep week, and day 2
I had a week between my two ( kiln prep ) days with Angela. By day two, we needed to be pouring outer refractory plasters, steaming out and having work ready for the kiln.
After our successful first Monday, I said to Angela, ‘if you don't hear from me, assume it's all going well…’ Yep. On Tuesday morning I began painting wax skins for my Bees and Blossoms bottle. Fine, they worked, the finish was good, they looked a bit like chocolate Easter eggs. I placed my very fragile core inside. Blossoms growing out of the background, and… oh. The outer case was too small. There just wasn't enough potential glass wall thickness.
After a, ‘what can I do?’ probably slightly whiney call to Angela, we decided a new outer shape was the best option. I am very lucky to have a lovely father in law, with a wood turning lathe he doesn't use. Lets just say that on Tuesday morning I became a woodturning ninja. I now have bigger and smaller sisters of my design. I also think I prefer the chunky version. I made a not altogether successful thyxo silicone, ( I still managed to get bubbles under the neck ) but made a pretty good wax skin of my new, larger outer. The core was embedded and I breathed a bit.
I also joined, filled and cleaned up my Honeysuckle design, added more moths to the Moth and Moon piece, and filled bubbles, hollows, etc on my Hedgerow wax.
After a few enjoyable, solid days of work, I was ready to start our second day.
Day two
On the hottest day on record in England, we were preparing waxes and refractory plaster moulds for the kiln. Luckily Angela’s workshop is cool and spacious.
I had my four pieces as ready as possible.
The flat top of the Honeysuckle design needed to be reinstated, and as you can see from the pics, Angela’s eye was a godsend, then the model was ready to be refractory moulded.
My Hedgerow pot had a nichrome wire support suspended over the hollow inner/core, and the plaster was poured, outside and in. The mould was steamed out, I prepared some plant pots as glass reservoirs, and the glass was measured by water displacement.
We are using Bullseye glass, but I think their range of colours for casting is disappointing. The range is so limited, and not particularly subtle or interesting. I may look at an alternative. After all, a massive part of the appeal of glass for me is adding colour, the right colour, to my work.
My new, ‘big sister’ Bees and Blossom design was pretty much there, just a fattening up of the casting sprue.
The Moths and Moon was ready, but when we discussed it, we decided to add risers to some of the moth wings, just to make sure they cast. I know it looks like a bonkers fire cracker, but hopefully, all these risers will allow it to cast well. This is where my mind won’t catch up with the technicalities until I see it cast, and try to polish and finish it. In my head, the risers will be full of glass, and I foresee getting them off without snapping the wings will be a nightmare. But… that's not what should happen. They should be full of air. Let’s see. It will be a big leap in understanding for me.
Angela is going beyond the call of duty, and firing each piece separately, to avoid any flashing, or as much as possible, firing mishaps.
The Moths went into the fridge, rather than into plaster, because it could be a while before it goes into the kiln.
Now, I have to get my head back into the silversmithing elements of my designs, but what a privilege, just to be able to await results!